Stamp-vending machine



C. H. WODWARD.

STAMP VENDING MACHINE. 1,195,318.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. IBIS.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

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STAMP VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY s. 1915.

1 1 95,3 1 8. v Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

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CHARLES H. WOODWARD, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

STAMP-VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed May 8, 1915.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. VVooD- WARD, citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-VendingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in stamp vendingmachines.

The object of the invention is to provide a lnachine for vending stampsand involving a circular-carrier having a plurality of radial pockets ofparticular construction adapted to carry stamps so that a portion ofeach stamp projects from the side or front of the carrier; together witha turning coin mover constructed to transmit rotation to the carrierthrough the agency of a coin deposited in the mover.

Another feature is means for retarding the rotation of the carrier;while another is means for limiting the turning movement of the coinmover.

Among other novel features are the provision of means for deflectingfalling coins from the stamps and preventing the displacement of thestamps by the coins; means for locking the machine when empty andpreventing the further insertion of coins into the coin chute; means forconveying improper coins from the machine without operating the latter;means for positively returning the coin mover so that its coin receivingslot will accurately register with the coin chute; the provision of astamp ejecting slot and guide so disposed as to assure a positivedelivery and preventing stamps passing the said slot and not beingdeliv* ered; and the provision of a two piece stamp carrier havinginterlocking portions, which when assembled provide stamp peck ets in asimple and practical manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described that willl be strong, durable, eliicient, and simpleand comparatively inexpensive to construct, also one in which theseveral parts will not be likely to get out of working order.

Vith the above and other objects in view the invention has relation tocertain novel features of construction and operation, an example ofwhich iS described in the fol- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

serial No. 26,637.

lowing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of the machine with the front cover wallremoved, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, the stampcarrier and coin mover being omitted. Fig. 3 is a transverse verticalsectional view taken on the line www of Fig. l, the interior parts ofthe machine being illustrated in elevation, Fig. 4 is detail of one ofthe stamp carrier members, Fig. 5 is a detailof the other carriermember, Fig. 6 is a detail in section showing the manner in which thestamps are presented and ejected, Fig. 7 is a detail showing the coinmover stop and illustrating the operation of the coin mover, Fig. S is asectional detail of the coin mover and component parts, and Fig. 9 is adetail in elevation of a portion o1' the front wall of the casing.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the flared base of a metalcasing which comprises a back wall 2, end walls 3 and 4 and a top wall5. A removable front wall 6 for the casing has vertical inside ribs 8adjacent each edge terminating in hinge lugs 7 cngaging in slots 9 inthe top wall 5. The ribs abut the inner sides of the end walls andprevent lateral displacement of the wall G; while the lugs hooked intothe slots, as is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, hold the upper end of saidwall 6 in place and permit it to be swung outward and removed. The lowerend of the front wall is secured by a lock l0.

From the central portion of the back wall 2 a fixed stub shaft 1lprojects inward and has at its base a shoulder 12. A stamp carrying disk13 is mounted to rotate on the shaft and bears against the shoulderwhich spaces it from the rear wall. The disk is held in place and itsrotation retarded by an arched spring plate 14 confined on the shaft bya cotter pin l5 piercing the shaft. The ends of the spring plate bear onthe disk and hold the latter against the shoulder 12, whereby sufficientfriction is had to offer enough resistance to hold the disk to theposition to which it is moved and to prevent overthrowing.

The disk or carrier 13 is composed of two members A and B and these willbe described in detail later in this specification. On the front of themember A means for rotating the disk is provided in the nature of a gearring 16 which is positioned conA centric to the axis of the disk and ispreferably formed integral therewith. The ring 16 is intermediate thestamp carrying means of the disk and its center and the teeth aresufliciently spaced to permit a coin swung at right angles to the frontof the disk to enter between two adjacent teeth, rotate the disk alimited distance, and freely pass out of the ring.

For manipulating the disk or carrier a coin mover 17 is mounted to turnin the wall 3 of the casing and projects into the casing in a horizontalplane at right angles to the stub shaft 11 in such near relation to thecarrier that a coin held in the mover will engage in the gear-ring 1Gwhen said mover is turned toward the carrier. The inner end of thecarrier is reduced to form a spindle 18 which bears in a transverseaperture 19 in thev shaft 11, the shoulder ofthe mover preventing inwardlongitudinal displacement of the mover. I

The mover extends through the wall 3 and has fixed on its end outside ofthe casing a. knob 2O which the operator may grasp in turning the mover.A coiled spring 22 has one end secured in the mover and the other endfastened to the wall 3. This spring is disposed against the inner sideof said wall 3 and prevents outward longitudinal displacement of themover and said spring is so wound as to exert its tension in a directionopposite to that in which the mover is turned in operation, whereby saidmover is returned to its normal position when released.

A downwardly contracted slot 21 is provided in the mover and when thelatter is normal the slot occupies a vtrue vertical position. This is`due to a stop and limiting pin 23 inserted in the mover and projectingon each side thereof so as to engage under the cotter pin 15 to hold themoverin its normal position, and to strike with its opposite end on topof the Cotter pin and limit the rotation ofthe mover. The slot 21 isofsuch proportions as to receiveand support a coin of certain diameter,but to permit the passage therethrough of coins of smaller diameters.Directly under the slot 21 is a discharge tube 24, curved and directedthrough vthe wall 3 to a cup 25 mounted on the outside of said wall. Asmaller coin inserted in the machine will drop through the slot and bereturned to the operator by way of the tube 24: and cup 25.

A coin of proper diameter and value received in the slot 21 projectssuificiently from theimoverto engage one of the teeth of the ring 16when said mover is rotated toward the disk, thus'imparting rotation-.t0the disk, and to pass from between the meth asthe mover reaches the lend`of its rotation. It is to be understood that the disk carries postagestamps which project from the front side thereof and are arranged ingroups spaced in harmony with the spacing of the gear teeth so that eachpartial rotation of the disk brings a group of stamps to the vendingpoint. After the coin passes out of the gear teeth it will drop from theslot and fall to the bottom of the casing and to prevent said coinstriking and dislodging any of the stamps from the carrier 13 adeflecting plate 26 is fastened on thc bottom of the casing and eX-tends upward. As is best shown in Fig. 3 the deflector is inclinedtoward the carrier and terminates below the mover at a point beyond theradius of path of the turning coin. The coin falls on this plate 26 andis guided to the bottom of the casing.

The front wall 6 of the casing as well as the front edges of the endwalls 3 have angular portions at the part, said front wall havingportions 27 and 2S respectively and the end walls 3 being shaped tosnugly re ceive the same. The upper most portion 27 has onlya slightinclination to the perpendicular and is in closeproximity to the carrier413. The angular portion 2S extends from the lower end of the portion 28to the vertical panel of the front wall as shown and from its upperportion a coin chute 29 depends, said chute having its opening in theupper side of said portion 28 of such size as to exclude coins of largerdiameters than that required to Operate the machine.

The coin chute terminates just over the slot 21 of the coin mover andhas one side cut out as shown at 3 so that the coin when resting in theslot will still project into the chute and while it may be swung towardthe disk, cannot be swung away from the disk cn account of the solidwall opposite the cut' away portion 1n one side of the coin chutevanaperture 30 is vfprovided and a spring arm 31having one end fastened tothe front wall has its free end resting on the chute adjacent theaperture 30. AV pin 32 projects from the front of the disk or car- Yrier and the arm is in the path of this pin so once during the rotationof the carrier the pin will strike the free end of the arm and carry itover the aperture into which it will spring. The end of the arm projecting in and .across the chute willprevcnt the passage of coinstherethrough, thus indicating that the machine is empty and preventingfurther operation until. it is again filled with postage stamps and thespring arm .withdrawn from the aperture 30.

le now will describe the details of construction of the carrier or disk13 and the means 'forfejectingthe stamps. As shown in the drawings thecarrier has plurality of radial pockets 34 and considerable difficultywasexperienced in producing in a commercial and practical manner, acarrier provided with these pockets in such regular order and positionas to coperate with the gear ring and the coin mover in bringing thestamps to the same ejecting point at each operation; also so as to notcarry the stamps past the ejecting point and to present them to theejecting slot at the proper angle. In carrying out this construction thecarrier is composed of two members A and B, here-in-before referred to,and these members are of such configuration that they may be easily castfrom patterns.

The member A comprises a round plate portion 35 as is best shown inFigs. 1 and 5. Fingers 36 project radially from the periphery of theportion 35 in spaced order, each having one transverse face 37 at rightangles to the vertical plane of the member and the other transverse face38 extending therefrom at angle of about forty degrees to said face; thefaces meeting in a substantial knife edge 39 which is inclined towardits base as shown in Fig. 5. The ring 16 projects from this member.

The member B takes the form of a ring and has recesses 40 conforming inshape to the fingers 36 and receiving the same. These recesses are ofsuch size as to provide a space or pocket between their walls and thefaces 38 of the lingers whereby the pockets 3-1 are formed. Lugs 41projecting inward from the member B have screw apertures 42 whichregister with similar apertures 43 in the portion 36 of the member A,whereby the members are fastened together by screws 4:4 inserted in saidapertures as sho-wn in Fig. l. When the members are assembled theirfront sides lie substantially fiush and the fingers fit in the recessesas shown.

The pockets being disposed at an angle as shown receive the stamps C asillustrated in Fig. 6 and present the same at an angle so that theirvertical edges are substantially parallel to the angular portion 27 ofthe wall 6. For guiding the stamps up to said portion 27 a guide plate15 depends therefrom and has its lower end beyond the path of the stampsso that the latter are brought into contact with the inclined face ofthe plate. Owing to the inclined disposition of the stamps due to theangles of the faces 38 and the edges 39, and the recesses 10 conformingthereto, said stamps are presented to the guide plate at such an anglethat one corner of each stamp rst strikes the plate and is turnedupward, whereby the balance of the projecting portion of each stamp isalso turned up or forward as indicated in Fig. 6.

For ejecting the stamps a slot 46 is provided in a reduced portion ofthe part 27 and is disposed at an angle to the perpendicular as shownbest in Fig. 9 and which is in harmony with the angle at which the stampis presented. It will be apparent that it would not be practical to havethe slot n1-6 exactly vertical and the stamps held exactly in line withthe radii of the carrier as the forward edge of the stamp must entersaid slot in advance of the arrival of the pocket at the slot, andfurther the stamps could not be turned forward if so presented to theguide plate.

The slot 46 has its far side, reference being had to the approachingstamps, curved inward as indicated at 47 in Figs. 2, 6 and 9 to form anejector against which the forward edges of the stamps impinge and areguided outward through said slot.

In operating the machine one desiring to purchase stamps drops a coin ofthe proper value in the chute 29 and grasps the knob 20. The coin isarrested in the slot 21 of the coin mover 17 and has its upper portionproject ing into the chute so that the mover cannot be turned away fromcarrier 13 for two reasons, first, the pin 23 engaging the pin 15, andthen the solid wall of the chute. The open portion 33 of the chutepermits the mover 17 to be turned so that the coin is swung towardcarrier and between two teeth of the gear ring 16, the coin acting asthe tooth of a meshing pinion and imparting rotation to the carrier. Thecoin chute terminating so close to the slot 21 assures the delivery ofthe coin to the same. After the mover has been turned a certain distancethe coin is carried out of the ring and falls onto the deflector 26 bywhich it is guided to the 1 bottom of the casing. The operator nowreleases the knob and the spring 22 which has been wound during therotation of the mover, returns the same to its normal position. Therotation imparted to the carrier is suflicient to move the same thedistance between two pockets 84 and eject the stamps of the followingpocket through the slot 46 from which they may be readily removed.

The operation may be repeated until the machine is empty and the pin 32strikes the arm 31 and carries its free end into the aperture 30 whichprevents further insertion of coins into the chute 29.

What I claim, is:

1. In apostage stamp vending machine, the combination of a verticalhousing having an inclined slot disposed to deliver postage stamps, anda revoluble carrier mounted in the housing having a plurality of radialstamp pockets in its side disposed to pass in close proximity to theslot, each pocket being so constructed as to hold its stamp at aninclination to the vertical and transverse axes of the carrier, wherebysaid stamp is presented to the slot of the housing with its advance sidesubstantially parallel to said slot.

2. The combination in a postage stamp vending machine, of a casinghaving a vertical stamp delivery slot disposed at an acute angle to theperpendicular, a guide plate mounted in the casing, and a verticalrevoluble stamp carrier having a plurality of sta-mp pockets soconstructed as to receive and present stamps at an angle to both thetransverse and vertical axes of the carrier, said pockets presenting thestamps so that each stamp presents in advance one corner to the guideplate, whereby said stamp is curved forward and presented to the casingslot parallel thereto.

3. A stamp carrie-1' for stamp vending machines comprising two members,one of said members having radial lingers with angular faces and theother member having recesses corresponding in shape to the lingers andreceiving the latter, the said recesses being proportioned so that astamp pocket is provided on one side of each finger.

4. A stamp carrier for stamp vending machines comprising two vmembers,one of said members having radial fingers with angular faces and theother member having recesses corresponding in shape to the lingers andreceiving the latter, the said recesses being proportioned so that astamp pocket is provided on one side of each inger, and one of saidmembers having provision for imparting rotation to the carrier.

5. The combination in a postage stamp vending machine, of a casinghaving a front wall provided with an inclined stamp delivery slot, avertical revoluble stamp carrying disk mounted in the casing and havingits upper portion in juxtaposition to the slot of the front wall of thecasing, said disk having a plurality of stamp pockets in one sidedisposed at an angle to the radii of the disk and so constructed as vtopresent stamps from the side of the carrier at an angle to said sideless than a rightrangle and in harmony with the inclination of the slotof the casing.

6. The combination in a postage stamp vending machine of a verticalcasing having its front side open, a removable front wall mounted on thecasing, the upper end of casing being retracted, said front wall havinga stamp ejecting slot in its upper portion oppositethe retracted portionof the casing, a rotatable vertical vending disk mounted in the casingso as to project into the retracted portion of the casing and having itsfront side passing in close proximity to the slot ot' the front wall, anejector mounted on the front wall at the slot thereof, said disk havingpockets constructed to present stamps at its side, said ejectorprojecting into the path of the stamps carried by the disk, whereby thestamps are del'lected into the slot of the wall, means for retarding therotation of. the disk, and means for imparting rotation to the disk.

7. A stamp carrier for stamp vending machines comprising a disk-likestructure having a plurality of radial recesses having their open sidescoincident with the tace ot' the structure, and fingers proj ecting intothe recesses and disposed so that a stamp receiving pocket is providedat one side of each linger, each linger having its pocket side disposedat an angle intermediate thc transverse and longitudinal axes of thestructure, and the recesses each being correspondingly shaped wherebythe pockets are likewise disposed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES H. VOODWARD.

Copies of this patent -may'be obtained for ve cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

